Teens and Libraries: A Media Literacy Perspective

Renee Hobbs invites teen librarians to reflect on how their attitudes about print, visual, sound and digital media shape their work. She reviews the developmental characteristics of adolescents that
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Renee Hobbs invites teen librarians to reflect on how their attitudes about print, visual, sound and digital media shape their work. She reviews the developmental characteristics of adolescents that most affect teen media use behaviors. She considers the pros and cons of empowerment and protection in helping teens thrive in a media-saturated society.

People of all ages will internalize the practice of asking critical questions about the author, purpose and point of view of every sort of message--- from political campaigns, pharmaceutical advertising, reports and surveys issued by think-tanks, websites, breaking news, email, blogs, and the opinions of politicians, pundits and celebrities. Teachers will use engaging instructional methods to explore the complex role of news and current events in society, making connections to literature, science, health and history, building bridges between the classroom and the living room that support a lifetime of learning. People of all ages will be responsible and civil in their communication behaviors, treating others with respect and appreciating the need for social norms of behavior that create a sense of personal accountability for one’s online and offline actions. As a fundamental part of instruction, students will compose and create authentic messages for real audiences, using digital tools, images, language, sound and interactivity to develop knowledge and skills and discover the power of being an effective communicator. People from all walks of life will be able to achieve their goals in finding, sharing and using information solve problems, developing the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, communicate and share ideas and information, participating in meaningful social action in their neighborhoods, communities, nation and the world. In the process, teamwork, collaboration, reflection, ethics and social responsibility will flourish. Teachers won’t have to complain about a generation of young people who lack the ability to identify appropriate keywords for an online search activity, those who aren’t aware of which American city was devastated by Hurricane Katrina, and those who cannot identify the author of a web page.

People of all ages will internalize the practice of asking critical questions about the author, purpose and point of view of every sort of message--- from political campaigns, pharmaceutical advertising, reports and surveys issued by think-tanks, websites, breaking news, email, blogs, and the opinions of politicians, pundits and celebrities. Teachers will use engaging instructional methods to explore the complex role of news and current events in society, making connections to literature, science, health and history, building bridges between the classroom and the living room that support a lifetime of learning. People of all ages will be responsible and civil in their communication behaviors, treating others with respect and appreciating the need for social norms of behavior that create a sense of personal accountability for one’s online and offline actions. As a fundamental part of instruction, students will compose and create authentic messages for real audiences, using digital tools, images, language, sound and interactivity to develop knowledge and skills and discover the power of being an effective communicator. People from all walks of life will be able to achieve their goals in finding, sharing and using information solve problems, developing the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, communicate and share ideas and information, participating in meaningful social action in their neighborhoods, communities, nation and the world. In the process, teamwork, collaboration, reflection, ethics and social responsibility will flourish. Teachers won’t have to complain about a generation of young people who lack the ability to identify appropriate keywords for an online search activity, those who aren’t aware of which American city was devastated by Hurricane Katrina, and those who cannot identify the author of a web page.

People of all ages will internalize the practice of asking critical questions about the author, purpose and point of view of every sort of message--- from political campaigns, pharmaceutical advertising, reports and surveys issued by think-tanks, websites, breaking news, email, blogs, and the opinions of politicians, pundits and celebrities. Teachers will use engaging instructional methods to explore the complex role of news and current events in society, making connections to literature, science, health and history, building bridges between the classroom and the living room that support a lifetime of learning. People of all ages will be responsible and civil in their communication behaviors, treating others with respect and appreciating the need for social norms of behavior that create a sense of personal accountability for one’s online and offline actions. As a fundamental part of instruction, students will compose and create authentic messages for real audiences, using digital tools, images, language, sound and interactivity to develop knowledge and skills and discover the power of being an effective communicator. People from all walks of life will be able to achieve their goals in finding, sharing and using information solve problems, developing the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, communicate and share ideas and information, participating in meaningful social action in their neighborhoods, communities, nation and the world. In the process, teamwork, collaboration, reflection, ethics and social responsibility will flourish. Teachers won’t have to complain about a generation of young people who lack the ability to identify appropriate keywords for an online search activity, those who aren’t aware of which American city was devastated by Hurricane Katrina, and those who cannot identify the author of a web page.

People of all ages will be responsible and civil in their communication behaviors, treating others with respect and appreciating the need for social norms of behavior that create a sense of personal accountability for one’s online and offline actions.

We’ll reach underserved youth including those young people who experience the juvenile justice system, who may be among the most vulnerable to negative messages in the media because of the lack of access to supportive adults and other resiliency factors.

We’ll reach underserved youth including those young people who experience the juvenile justice system, who may be among the most vulnerable to negative messages in the media because of the lack of access to supportive adults and other resiliency factors.

EU Survey of risks N = 25,000 kids from 13 countriesThe survey asked about a range of risks, asdetailed in what follows. Looking across allthese risks, 41% of European 9-16 year oldshave encountered one or more of theserisks. Risks increase with age: 14% of 9-10 yearolds have encountered one or more of the risksasked about, rising to 33% of 11-12 year olds,49% of 13-14 year olds and 63% of 15-16 yearolds.

EU Survey of risks N = 25,000 kids from 13 countriesThe survey asked about a range of risks, asdetailed in what follows. Looking across allthese risks, 41% of European 9-16 year oldshave encountered one or more of theserisks. Risks increase with age: 14% of 9-10 yearolds have encountered one or more of the risksasked about, rising to 33% of 11-12 year olds,49% of 13-14 year olds and 63% of 15-16 yearolds.

Please share the White Paper with colleagues and all who see that the time is now – together, we can build a community education movement for digital and media literacy.

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50% of classroom teachers believe that children spend too much time in front of screens Wartella, Schomburg, Lauricella, Robb & Flynn, 2010

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Media Addiction among 11 – 16 Year Olds5% Gone without eating or sleeping because of the Internet11% Felt bothered when I cannot be on the Internet16% Caught myself surfing when I am not really interested13% Spent less time with either family, friends, or doing schoolwork because of the time I spent on the Internet13% Tried unsuccessfully to spent less time on the InternetSOURCE: EU Kids Online, 2012

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People Interpret Messages are Messages Differently RepresentationsMessages Have Economic &Political Power Messages Use Different Messages Influence our Codes and Conventions Attitudes and Behaviors